Serin's Knight of the Round Table
by sonicstardust
Summary: This is the story of Serin, a lowly servant girl who fell for a knight named Galahad, one of Arthur's men. Follows the King Arthur film.
1. A Knight in Shining Armor

Serin sighed, watching the smoke rising on the horizon, and listening to the threatening drumbeats.

The Saxons would be here soon.

Gathering her skirts and hoisting a basket onto her shoulder, she went back to work.

The sky threatened snow, and frost hung in the air, as the rest of the servants bustled about, preparing themselves and their families for the worst.

Their master Marius did not seem aware of their present peril, that or he did not care if they all died.

"They are here!" a boy's voice shattered the uneasy silence, "Arthur and his knights have come!"

An excited murmur swept through the throng of servants.

"Arthur?" Serin asked a nearby man.

He nodded vigorously, "He and his knights will lead us to safety, I'm told."

Serin set down her basket and ran to find her younger sister.

"Eva?" she yelled, "Eva they've come to help us! Eva?"

One of Marius's guards stepped in front of her, "What do you think you are doing, wench? Away from your work?" He shoved her back towards the others, "Back to your duties!"

"Wait!" she said desperately, "I have to tell Eva!"

"I said, _back to your duties_!" he kicked her hard in the shin.

She cried out in pain, "Please, sir," she half whispered, "my sister is ill, and I must tell her!"

"You may speak with her," the guard chuckled, "once you have finished your task!"

Serin turned to walk away, but whirled around and ducked past the unsuspecting guard.

"Stop!" he shouted grabbing a handful of her long red hair.

She winced, and tried to pull away.

"No you don't!" he chortled cruelly, "You disobeyed your orders, now you must face your punishment!" He kicked her hard in the back, sending her sprawling on the cold, hard ground.

She gasped, waiting for another blow, but then heard a new voice,

"See here, is that any way to treat a lady?"

"Lady?" the guard sneered, "if she's a lady, I'm a stuck pig!"

Serin chanced a look over her shoulder; a man on a white horse was reprimanding the guard. "And a lovely stuck pig you are." he agreed.

"No, my lord," Serin said meekly, "I brought it upon myself by not following my orders, I do not seek pardon."

"Silence, brat!" the guard snarled, kicking her in the side.

The man got down from his horse and shoved the guard aside, "Only a coward hits a woman," he scolded, helping Serin to her feet. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

She nodded, wincing as she stood.

"Good," he patted her shoulder and remounted his horse, trotting off to join the other knights to speak with Marius.

Serin wiped the dirt from her face, and crept away from the dumbfounded guard to look for Eva once more. She found her, sitting in the servants' quarters wrapped in a ragged blanket.

"A-a-are they here?" she stammered, shivering.

"Yes," Serin smiled at her starved looking sister, "they're going to lead us to safety."

"That's good," she said, with a hacking cough, "I've always wanted to meet a real knight."

"And you will," Serin said, smoothing her sister's dirty, blond hair, "now let's go." she continued, wrapping her cloak around Eva's small, frail form, and pulling her to her feet.

Eva coughed again, "Serin," she whined playfully, "I'm fifteen, I can look after myself."

"Well, even if you can," Serin replied, "I'm going to help anyway."

As they reached the place where the knights were, they saw them bringing prisoners out of Marius's dungeon, and some false priests ranting about being men of God.

"Who's that?" Serin asked her sister, as the knights brought a girl not much older than herself from the dungeon.

"G-g-guinevere," Eva coughed, "she's a woad, she was captured not long ago for information."

"And him?" Serin asked, looking at a small boy, held by one of the knights.

"I don't know." Eva answered, shivering under the blanket and Serin's cloak.

"He probably won't make it," she heard one of the servants whisper as they got closer.

Arthur and his knights were now helping people into wagons, "You, girl," called the knight who had rescued her from the guard, "there's room for two more over here." he motioned towards a nearby wagon.

Serin and Eva hurried to the wagon, "Thank you," Serin said breathlessly as she climbed in.

"Wait," he said, noticing she had no cloak, "take this." he handed her a blanket.

"You are too kind," she said, enchanted by his courtesy.

"Wait," he said again, "what's your name?"

"Serin," she answered, "and yours?"

He grinned, "Galahad," he told her, and made to help some other servants find a wagon.

"Galahad," Serin repeated softly, after he had gone, "Galahad."

* * *

The safest route, as the knights decided, would be through the mountains, and even if they were cold and desolate, the Saxon army would have a harder time of catching them there.

Serin rode facing out of the wagon, hoping for another glimpse of the knight who she so admired, and was rewarded, for not long into the journey, he was sent to ride near her wagon.

He smiled when he saw her, "Feeling alright?" he asked courteously.

She nodded, dangling her feet over the side of the wagon, in a very unladylike way, "I'm bruised a bit, but other than that I'm fine." she reached over to pat his horse, which whinnied softly.

He smiled, and they rode in silence for a few moments, before he asked, "Your red hair stands out among all these dark haired women, you are not from Rome, are you?"

Serin shook her head, "My family is originally from Ireland, but I was born in Rome."

Galahad nodded towards Eva, who was sleeping, next to Serin, "Is she your sister?" he asked her.

"Yes," said Serin quietly, "she's two years younger than me," she fidgeted with the edge of a fraying blanket, "she's been very sick for a long time, and no one thinks she'll survive long."

Eva coughed in her sleep and turned over.

Galahad said nothing, but smiled at the sleeping girl in sympathy.

Eager to change the subject, Serin inquired, "Is that girl, Guinevere, really a woad?"

Galahad nodded solemnly, "Marius imprisoned her, thinking wrongly that she had information."

"That's terrible," Serin shivered against the cold wind that blew through her thick blanket.

"It is terrible," he agreed, "terrible that someone could torture people into giving information that they didn't know in the first place."

Serin shivered again, she'd only had a taste of Marius's cruelty through his guards, but these people in his dungeon, they had been through hell because of him.

Galahad looked at her, shivering in the cold wind, "Get some rest," he told her kindly, "we still have a long way to go."

Serin smiled, and lay down next to Eva.

* * *

**This isn't finished, I'll try to update soon.**


	2. Serin Songbringer

Later that day Serin awoke to find that they had stopped, and Galahad was nowhere in sight.

The sun was setting and cast a cold glow about everything.

Serin, restless after her long sleep, slipped on her shoes, and silently climbed out of the wagon.

Eva stirred and yawned, "Serin?" she said sleepily, "where are you going?"

"Hush now," She told her sister quietly, "I'll be back in a moment." Serin walked along the long row of wagons, singing softly to herself a song her mother had taught her before she died,

_Trees of green and water blue_

_Tenderly I sing to you,_

_Of Arthur and his knights so true,_

_And the noble deeds they do..._

Tristan and Gawain applauded loudly from where they were sitting by a fire,

"Please, sing to us of the noble deeds we do?" Gawain laughed.

Serin felt her cheeks turn red, she hadn't known anyone was listening.

"N-no," she stammered, "I don't know any more of the song," she finished quietly.

"Aw, c'mon," Gawain said, smiling, "I've never heard any songs about us before."

Tristan nodded, "It was a very good song," he paused, "until you stopped."

Serin gave a half-hearted smile, "I don't know any more of it,"

"Well," said Galahad, coming out from behind a wagon, "you could make it up as you go."

"Then it wouldn't be any good," she protested.

Bors strode over to where the other knights were sitting, "We'll listen to you anyway," he offered.

"Well...alright." Serin finally consented, and began to sing, her melodious voice attracting the attention of others in the wagons around them.

_Sparing lives, that's what I'm told,_

_This task befits these knights so bold,_

_Turning evil to the cold,_

_They fight as warriors of old._

_Any scoundrel, in their way,_

_Woe befalls him, on this day,_

_Their task is not a game to play,_

_But lives to spare, and fiends to slay._

Serin finished, and all who had gathered to listen applauded,

"Not any good, eh?" Bors commented over the clapping.

Serin beamed at Galahad, who raised his mug of ale to her in a toast.

"Come sit with us," Tristan offered, motioning to the empty space on the log next to Galahad.

"Thank you," she said, breathless from singing, and also from the cold.

"Want something to eat?" Gawain asked, offering a wooden trencher full of meat.

"I know I do," Bors said irritably, "I'm starving!"

"You're _always_ starving." Gawain reminded him, chuckling.

Serin gladly took a small portion of the meat, then passed the plate to Bors.

After a while, Serin decided to go check on Eva, and bring her something to eat.

"See you in the morning." she told the knights, mostly directing her goodnight to Galahad, then turning on her heel, she was gone.

"She's beautiful," Gawain commented, after she left.

The other nights nodded in agreement, all except Galahad, who stared after her silently,

It wasn't her beauty that caught his eye; it was the very way she held herself, the way she moved, the way she talked, she always seemed sure of herself, and sure of Galahad's feelings towards her, sure that she could take care of herself and her sister.

"What do you think Galahad?" Bors asked him.

"What?" he snapped from his thoughts.

"I asked if you think she fancies Gawain,"

"No, I don't think so." he stretched, and stood up, "I'm going to bed."

"Eva," said Serin, coming up to their wagon, "you'll never guess what happened,"

No one answered.

"Wake up Ev," she said, pushing her sister's shoulder to rouse her, but Eva did not wake up.

"Eva," she said desperately, "please wake up!"

When Eva still did not stir, Serin ran for help, "Someone! Please help my sister, she's burning with fever!"

Galahad roused in his tent, and immediately got up to see what the matter was, "Serin?" he called, "What's wrong?"

She was almost in tears now, stumbling in the snow, "It's Eva," she gasped, "she won't wake, and her fever is very high."

"We'll go see Arthur, he'll know what to do," Galahad said briskly, "Come, his tent is this way."

They reached Arthur's tent, and woke him.

"Galahad, what's the matter?" Arthur said, suddenly alert.

"It's her sister," he rushed, "she's taken a turn for the worst."

Arthur jumped up and followed them to where Eva was.

He felt her head, "Burning," he muttered, then sent Galahad to get some cloths and wet them with snow.

"Will she be alright?" Serin asked quietly, even though she knew it was an unanswerable question.

Arthur shook his head, "I don't know," he told her solemnly, "I don't know."

Serin ran her fingers through Eva's dirt-streaked hair, and whispered a prayer for her sister.

Galahad returned with the cloths, and he placed them on her forehead.

"What can we do now?" Serin asked Arthur, watching Eva shiver under the thick blanket on top of her.

"All we can do," Arthur replied, "is wait, and pray."


	3. Snows of War

Eva's fever lasted throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning, but she began to stir as the pale daylight filtered into the wagon.

"Ser...?" she muttered, tossing restlessly.

"I'm here," Serin told her gently, placing a new rag on her sister's head.

Galahad came over to their wagon to check on her, "Is she doing any better?" he asked concernedly.

Serin nodded, "Her fever seems to have lessened, and she's waking up a bit," she continued, "I wanted to thank you for helping me last night," she smiled at him gratefully, "No one would have paid any mind to me if you hadn't come."

"It was nothing, don't thank me," he said dismissively, "thank Arthur, he's the one who helped the most, I did nothing."

"Never say that," Serin told him soothingly, "you've always done something, and whether you saved someone's life, or if you were just there to encourage, someone's life will always be affected with any small thing you do or say to help them."

Galahad smiled at her warmly, and reached out to run his fingers through her long hair, which blew across her face in the in the snowy breeze. He put his arm around her, and she leaned back to rest against his shoulder. They sat this way for a moment, not saying a word, until Eva's voice startled them.

"Serin?" Eva said in her sleep, louder than before, then awoke suddenly and leaned up against her makeshift pillow. She grinned at the sight of Serin and Galahad, who had almost fallen asleep, and were hurrying to sit up straight.

Eva laughed hoarsely, "I've been asleep for a long time," she commented good-naturedly, "fill me in, when's the wedding, and am I invited?"

Serin looked at Eva, smiling and sitting there as though she were serious, and burst out laughing, as did Galahad.

Eva just smiled, "Can I have a drink?"

There was a ruckus outside, and Galahad excused himself to see what was happening.

"Yes, you may have a drink." Serin told her sister, handing her a leather flask.

"Thank you," Eva said, and downed several gulps of water.

"I wonder what's going on out there," Serin wondered, peeking through the curtain on the side of the wagon, but could see nothing, she only heard shouts.

"Stay here," she ordered Eva, who protested greatly, but grudgingly stayed inside.

Serin jumped out of the wagon, and went to see where the shouts were coming from.

As she rounded a bend in the path, she saw Marius, laying on the ground, dead, with an arrow sticking in him, and his guards giving up their weapons.

"What's happening?" Eva said, coming up behind Serin, "Oh," she gulped, seeing what was in front of them.

The girl Guinevere stood, holding a bow, while some of Arthur's knights collected the guard's weapons.

_So she's the one who shot him,_ Serin thought, _good for her, he deserved it._

"Why did she shoot him though?" Serin whispered to Eva, who was gazing wide-eyes at the scene before them.

Eva shook her head, "I don't know,"

Galahad strode over to them uneasily, and explained, "He tried to kill the boy, Lucan," he shook his head at the man's cruelty, "Guinevere shot him just in time."

Lucan stood with another knight, Dagonet, holding him very close, as a father and son they appeared.

"Good riddance," Serin growled fiercely, "he was nothing more than a mad tyrant."

Tristan rode up on his horse and dropped a Saxon crossbow at Arthur's feet, "Armor piercing," he said, and warned them of the approaching army.

Arthur urged the people to keep moving as fast as they could.

In a little while, the snow began to blow more thickly, bathing the bleak landscape in a white, as the caravan came up on a frozen lake.

"Get the people out of the wagons," Arthur told a man, "tell them to spread out."

The fellow nodded, and went to relay the message.

The lake groaned under all of their weight, threatening to break and send them all to the depths.

Serin's heart beat wildly as she stepped carefully forward, wincing with every step toward the other side.

The ice made horrible crunching and scraping noises as they neared the end of the ice.

Eva shuddered and clutched her sister's sleeve, "We're going to die, aren't we?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"No," Serin shook her head, "not today."

A particularly loud groan came from beneath.

_At least I hope,_ she added silently.

Many of the people heaved sighs of relief as their feet touched on solid ground, but Serin could see the knights preparing to fight.

"Stay here," she told Eva, who was too tired to object.

Guinevere strode over to the knights, who were lined up at the edge of the lake, "You could use another bow," she told them, taking her place beside Lancelot.

Marius's son Alecto volunteered to fight, but Arthur shook his head,

"You must bear witness to all that you have seen." he advised the boy.

"I can fight," Serin piped up, "just lend me a sword."

Galahad took her aside, "I cannot let you fight," he told her, "you must go with your sister."

Serin looked at him hard, "Eva can take care of herself, and you need all the help you can get."

"No," he told her firmly, "get going, I can hear the Saxons' footsteps, they're so close."

"But-" she protested, but he held up his hand to stop her.

"Go, that is all I will say, except goodbye, if I never see you again." he said sadly, then left to join the others at their place near the ice.

Serin scowled in frustration, _Why do they let her fight and not me?_ she thought angrily, but finally decided to catch up with the rest of the people.

"What were you doing?" Eva wanted to know, as her sister ran to catch up with her.

"One moment," Serin gasped, trying to catch her breath. Once she had regained her composure, she sighed, "They won't let me fight,"

Eva arched a brow, "You can't fight worth-"

"I can so," Serin interrupted, "Papa taught me how when I was little."

Eva frowned, "I don't remember Papa well," she pulled her cloak tighter around her, "he never spent much time with me," she paused, "you were his favorite, his spirited fighter."

"That's not true," Serin protested, "he loved you just as much as me."

"No," Eva continued, "I was always the one who got ignored, he had fun with you and Robin."

They fell silent at the mention of Serin's twin brother, who had been killed by one of Marius's officers for trying to run away, that was three years ago. Their mother had died only a year ago, and their father, seven years ago.

Serin was glad that her father did not live to see Robin's death; it would have broken his heart to know that his only son was dead.

"Want to get back in the wagon?" Eva asked suddenly, as the cold wind whipped at their clothes and hair.

She shook her head, "No, I'll stay out here a little longer."

"Suit yourself," Eva said, shivering, and climbing into shelter.

Serin walked quietly, thinking of her brother, and of Galahad, wondering if he would meet such a fate as Robin.


	4. Choices Made

Serin awoke suddenly as the wagon went over a bump in the road, wondering if it had all been just a horribly realistic dream, but when everything came flooding back to her, she knew she could not fool herself.

"Finally awake?" Eva giggled, handing Serin a hunk of bread, "You practically passed out when you came inside."

Serin nodded, chewing slowly, then glanced outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the knights riding past.

"They're not here yet," Eva said sadly, patting her sister's shoulder.

"There's been no news?" Serin asked hopefully.

Eva shook her head, "No, and even if there had been I would have woken you up to tell you."

They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the low moaning of the wind outside.

"How much farther is it to the wall?" complained Serin, as the wagon hit another uneven bit of road.

"Not too much longer and we'll be there, from what they've told me," replied Eva, curling up under her cloak.

"Good," Serin sighed, "I can't take much more of this."

Suddenly the wagon jolted to a stop, startling them both.

Serin and her younger sister scrambled out to see what was going on, and saw the great wall, looming up ahead.

"We made it!" Eva exclaimed, hugging Serin tightly and jumping up and down.

_Let's hope the others make it too._ she thought, staring at the gray stony fortress.

As the refugees entered the wall, they were shown to quarters by some Roman guards, but Serin was too restless to stay in one place, and wandered out onto the wall to watch as the endless stream of people flooded into the refuge.

Every time a horse whinnied, she started, looking for the approaching knights, why was it taking them so long?

Then at the rear of the refugees, she saw them, battle-ridden and weary looking.

"Artorious's knights are coming!" shouted a nearby sentry.

Serin's heart skipped a beat as she ran down the stone steps to meet them at the gate.

"Stay back," a guard ordered her gruffly, as she rushed forward to see, "Bishop Germanus will greet them."

As the knights rode through the gates, Serin counted them in turn, but found one missing, Dagonet.

_No, _she thought angrily, _if they had let me fight-_ but her thoughts were interrupted by Germanus's voice.

"Ah, Alecto," he said to Marius's son, the Pope's favorite godchild, "let me look at you, let me see you!"

Alecto looked positively revolted, but remained silent.

"Bishop Germanus," Arthur said loudly.

"Ah, yes, your release papers, take them, you are free." The Bishop grinned falsely.

The knights grumbled in grief and anger for their fallen friend. Lancelot took the papers and gave one to each of the knights. Her gave Bors two, one for Dagonet.

_Maybe if I had fought, I would have died in his stead,_ Serin lamented to herself, looking at the grief-stricken faces of the knights, _maybe things would be different._ Then she thought of Robin, and her mother and father, realizing that she did not want to die yet, death is forever.

She placed her arm around Galahad, and they walked along the wall in silence for a time, then stopped, surveying what could be seen from atop the wall.

"Serin," Galahad's voice brought her back from her thoughts. She looked up at him, and smiled sadly, waiting for him to continue. He did not say anything more; there were no words to fit this moment.

_He looks distraught, _she thought.

She smoothed the hair away from his face. "Don't frown so," she said gently. "We cannot change the past. Only the future."

He ran a hand along her cheek, "And how shall we do that?" he asked softly.

She said nothing, but instead kissed him.

He kissed her back, and she realized just how much she loved him. She wanted to stay there, with him, forever. She would forsake all else if she could only have him to herself for as long as they both lived.

Then she remembered the Saxons.

"They're not gone are they?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"No. We didn't defeat them," he told her quietly. "We only delayed them, they will be here by tomorrow."

Serin stopped, and turned to stare out towards the pale setting sun on the horizon. "Will we all die?" she murmured, leaning on the stone battlements.

"No," he told her. "We won't die, not yet."

"And you'll protect me if anything happens?" Serin rested her head upon his shoulder.

He turned to look at her, and smiled, "If anything happens," he repeated, and leaned down to gently kiss her cheek. "When I go back to Sarmatia, will you come with me?" he asked her quietly.

She smiled, "Of course I will, I haven't got any reason to stay here."

Once again she looked out at the horizon, "How many Saxons are there?" she asked. "Will we be able to fight them all?" The wind picked up, and whipped her hair around.

Galahad shook his head, "There's no need to fight anymore. You heard Germanus, we're free men." he smiled gently, and put his arm around her. "I can go home and take you with me."

Serin stood up straight, looking at him hard, "You will do nothing then? You will leave the wall defenseless, and let these vile Saxons rule over us?"

"What do you mean us? You'll be safe with me in Sarmatia."

"This is my land! I won't see it destroyed by the Saxons!"

He again shook his head, not looking at her. "I want only to go home Serin. I want you with me."

"But you must do something!" she protested, "The fate of this land, this people depends on it!"

"A mere six knights cannot triumph over this great force," he ran his fingers through her hair. "We cannot help the wall now."

She brushed his hand away angrily. "Your home matters so much to you. Does it not cross your mind that I might care about mine?" The light of the sun faded as Serin walked silently away from him, angry at the Romans for leaving, and the knights for abandoning the land they had so long protected. Mostly she was angry at Galahad, the person who should most understand her desire to save her homeland, the man she loved.

* * *

Eva found her sister shedding tears of fury in the courtyard of the fortress, and sat with her until she had consoled herself.

"Will you go with the caravan that leaves tomorrow?" Serin said, wiping her face on her sleeve.

Eva looked at her older sister solemnly, "Wherever you go, I will go." she answered, smoothing Serin's disheveled hair.

"Even if it means death?" she murmured, rubbing her reddened eyes.

Eva nodded, "I will fight."

"I can't let you," Serin said, shaking her head.

"Galahad couldn't let you," Eva replied steadily, "Because he loved you too much."

"No," Serin said, "If he loves me, he would stay and fight."

"He wants you away from danger, can you not see that? It would hurt him terribly if any harm came to you." Eva stood, as did her sister.

"It would be worse to die running from the battle, than fighting in it." Serin retorted, as the two made their way back to their quarters.

Eva smiled, "I agree, and so would Papa, he would be proud of your spirit." She settled herself on her bed, "I wonder if any will stay and fight."

"If they have any honor they will," Serin objected, blowing out their candle and drawing up her blanket.

"I will fight..." Eva said in a dreamy voice, and yawned.

_I will fight, that I know,_ Serin resolved to herself, and lay awake for a while, regretting having been so harsh with Galahad earlier. She did love him, no matter what he did or didn't do.

_Likely he'll go home and seek comfort in the arms of some Sarmatian girl,_ she thought gloomily, and sat up in her bed, hugging her knees to her chest for warmth. _Will any of the knights stay?_ she wondered, _Will Arthur abandon the country he has fought so long to save?_

She rose from her bed, wrapped in her cloak, and slipped her shoes onto her feet, intending to go ask him this very question.

Eva turned over in her bed as Serin opened the heavy wooden door, but she did not let on that she was awake.

The door creaked shut, and Serin made her way along the dark halls to Arthur's chamber. As she neared it, a rustle startled her, and she ducked into a niche in the stone wall, peering around the corner to see who had made the noise

Guinevere was tiptoeing away from Arthur's room, looking around to see if she had disturbed anyone.

Serin called out to her in a hushed voice, "Will Arthur not fight?"

The older girl turned around quickly, "Who's there?"

Serin stepped into the faintly moonlit corridor, "It's only me," she told Guinevere, who was trying to smooth her disheveled brown hair.

"Will he not fight?" Serin repeated

Guinevere smiled, "He will fight, as will I."

"At least someone will," Serin muttered, "I will, but I have no weapons, nor an army to fight alongside me."

"You have spirit, yet you do not know what will happen tomorrow," Guinevere told her, "There is an army, not of Rome's making, outside of the wall."

Serin's eyes widened, "Woads?"

Guinevere laughed softly, "Do you not remember? I am a Woad, did you think that my people would give up our lands to the Saxons? We did not give them up to the Romans, why would we now?"

Serin thought about this, "I have no place, no people anymore," she said seriously, "I will join your army."

Guinevere nodded solemnly, "Follow me then." And they set off toward the gate.


	5. For Freedom

As Guinevere and Serin made their way through the dense woods surrounding the Woad camp, Serin shivered, Guinevere seemed to know where they were going, but Serin could make out nothing by the waning torchlight that would suggest people nearby.

A twig snapped somewhere behind her, and she jumped, but realized that it was most likely a deer or a rabbit. They had walked for another few minutes when a hand reached from the darkness and grabbed Serin's shoulder.

She stifled a scream, and spun around only to find herself face to face with Eva, who was grinning sheepishly.

"Sorry, I tripped," she explained.

Guinevere turned to them, the torch in her hand casting odd shadows over her face, "Hush now, we're getting close."

They walked for a while longer, with only the sounds of the forest to break the deafening silence, until a clearing loomed into their view, there were many people seated around a large crackling fire.

An old man with black markings on his face and arms arose as they entered the hollow, "Welcome Guinevere," he said slowly.

Serin heard unseen bows being drawn, and shivered once again.

"But who are these you have brought?" the old man inquired, peering intently at Serin and her sister.

"It's alright," Guinevere told him, "they wish to join us, Merlin."

"Join us?" Merlin wondered, "Word has reached us that all those in the wall are fleeing. Why do these two stay behind? Why do they wish to fight?"

"We wish to fight for this country," Eva spoke up unexpectedly, "because none of our people will."

Merlin gazed at her for a moment, then motioned for the men in the surrounding trees to lower their arrows, "Very well," he sighed, "you are welcome here." He sat down to warm himself by the fire, "Guinevere," he said solemnly,

"Yes?" she asked, stepping forward.

"Get these two attired and armed."

"Yes sir," she replied, and led the other girls away to a small tent.

"What does he mean 'attired'?" Eva asked as she pushed the tent flap aside, "We can fight alright in what we're wearing now."

Guinevere shook her head and handed them each a brown leather war outfit, "It will be easier to identify you on the battlefield if you're dressed as we are. Someone will come with your weapons in a moment." she told them, and ducked out of the tent.

Serin stared at the clothes in her hands, but Eva showed no hesitation in slipping out of her dress, and putting hers on.

"Comfortable?" Serin asked, as Eva adjusted the very revealing top.

Eva shrugged, "More or less, yes." she eyed her reluctant older sister, who sighed, but donned her outfit also.

There was a tap on the tent flap, "Are you dressed?" a young woman's voice called.

"Yes," Eva replied, and a black haired girl with pale blue eyes entered, carrying a variety

of weapons.

"Here you are," she said, handing them each a sword, bow, and quiver of arrows.

"Thanks," Eva said enthusiastically.

The girl smiled, "Now come, you must be marked as our people."

"Marked?" Serin asked.

The girl motioned to designs of green and black adorning her shoulders and wrists.

"Oh," she said, feeling stupid to have asked that, and followed the girl out of the tent.

They passed Merlin, who smiled at them as they were led to where a group of women with paints waited by a smaller fire.

An old woman motioned for them to sit down.

They did, noticing the intricate designs on the women's faces and bodies.

"Here," the woman said, holding out a brush.

Eva leaned in eagerly, and the woman painted a thin line across the bridge of Eva's delicate nose and across her cheeks, then two thicker bands about her upper right arm, that curled down around her arm to her wrist, two vine-like bands that swirled around each of her ankles, and then a line that ran the length of her bare midriff.

Eva grinned and sat back, admiring the woman's handiwork.

"You have more strength than you know," she told Eva with a lopsided grin on her wrinkled face.

"Thanks," Eva told her, and pushed Serin forward to be painted as well.

The woman dipped her brush and touched it to Serin's cheek.

The girl winced at the cold paint, causing the woman to laugh heartily as she painted a vine that curled around Serin's brow, down onto her cheek , then three thin vines on her shoulder, a circle on the top of her sword hand, and two thick bands around her ankle.

The woman sat back on her heels to admire her work and grinned, "You are one us now." she told Serin, patting her on the shoulder.

Serin smiled, "Now I truly feel like a Briton, thank you."

Guinevere came up behind her, "Serin," she said, and the girl turned, "Merlin's called a meeting of all those who are fighting, come."

Serin nodded and stood, as did Eva, and they followed her to the main campfire, where hundreds were gathered to hear Merlin speak.

Guinevere pushed through to the front, and the two younger girls followed.

Merlin looked around at all of them, hope in his eyes, "The sun will rise in a few short hours," he told them, folding hid hands in front of him, "and with it will come a day a day of war, a day of blood, but most importantly, a day of truth. Now you must fight for Britain, but not only for Britain, but for your own freedom."

As Serin stood in the line of warriors, next to Eva, no one would have guessed that she had only become a Woad last night.

Eva looked at her and grinned, "Scared?" she asked as knocked their arrows in their bows and waited for the signal.

Serin shook her head, "No," I feel excited, but not scared."

They waited tensely, and their adrenaline surged as Guinevere drew her bow to fire the

first arrow. She released it and it sang through the air, followed by a shower of thousands more.

The unsuspecting Saxon army screamed as they were hit with arrows from unseen bowmen. They fired their own bows wildly into the mist and were shot right back at.

Serin could hear horses galloping amidst the Saxons. _It couldn't be the knights,_ she told herself, _they left, Arthur must have rallied together some brave villagers._

They fired a shower of arrows upon the Saxons yet again, and Serin felt a strange sense of eagerness as she heard the yells once more. _Wonderful, I'm getting kill-happy,_ she grumbled silently.

Serin drew another arrow from her quiver, but Guinevere shook her head, "Wait until they send the second army, this one's completely done for."

She heard the sound of hooves and the ring of metal again. "The knights?" she asked disbelievingly.

Guinevere smiled, "They will never be able to abandon a battle," she reassured her.

The sound of marching and drumbeats silenced them, and they once again knocked their arrows.

There were great explosions from the field as Merlin and some others launched trebuchets from atop a hill, accompanied by fresh screams of agony and rage.

A warrior now came down the row, lighting their tarred arrows aflame.

Guinevere took aim and they followed suit, setting the whole tar-ridden battlefield alight, as well as the Saxon soldiers on it.

The Saxons scurried about, confused and dazed yelling and slashing at the air.

Guinevere yelled and ran out of the mist that served as cover to the Woad warriors, the others took up the cry and followed, weapons raised.

Serin slashed a man through the stomach, whirled around and clashed swords with another.

Snarling, he twisted his sword around, trying to get at her.

Groaning with the effort, she countered, and drove her sword through his chest, but as he fell he managed to give her a shallow cut across her shoulder.

"Ah!" she gasped, grasping her upper arm, but another soldier advanced toward her, swinging his sword wildly.

She locked blades with him, and twisted her blade so she could drive it into his shoulder.

He dropped his sword as the muscle in his shoulder was severed, and dropped to his knees.

Serin held her blade level with his throat, and looked at him. There was pleading in his cold eyes, that made her waver, wondering if this was how her brother had looked before he died. But no, her brother would not have fought for such a cause as these vile Saxons did.

"Pick it up," she told the man, pointing to his sword, which lay on the ground in front him.

He did, but only to plunge it into his chest, rather than be killed by a woman.

"Thanks," she told his limp form on the ground, "You certainly saved me some trouble."

"Serin, look out!" she heard Eva shout, and spun about to meet an advancing soldier in combat. Their swords rang as they attacked and blocked, locked in battle. Finally she broke away and sliced him across the stomach, his blood spattering her. He fell, dead.

Somewhere nearby Eva yelled.

"Eva!" Serin shouted, running through the Saxons, slicing wildly to get to her sister. Suddenly she saw her, blood covered the very top of her shoulder, and a man stood over her, his sword pointed at her throat. "Maybe I won't kill you," he was saying. "Maybe I'll keep you a while, because you're pretty," he sneered.

"I don't think you will," Eva growled at him, keeping her eyes fixed on his grinning face.

"No he won't." Serin snarled, and drove her sword into his back, and pulled it out.

He grunted, and fell.

Serin helped her sister to her feet, "Now, go teach those bloody Saxons a lesson," she told her.

Eva nodded grimly, stepped over the man's body, and stabbed another Saxon in the side. She looked up and saw Tristan, one of the knights about to be slain, and ran to his aid.

The Saxon leader raised his sword, and swung. It clashed on Eva's and slid off.

"That's not very nice," she told him.

He frowned, and raised his sword again, this time to kill her, but was stopped again by Arthur, who had come up behind him.

As the two leaders battled viciously, Eva helped Tristan to his feet.

"I never asked you to save me." he said in an irritated way.

"I never asked you to get killed," she retorted, then went to rejoin the fight.

* * *

Serin looked around, and saw that Guinevere was in a similar position as Eva had been, and rushed off to aid her.

Lancelot got to her at the same time, and locked blades with the bearded man, but just long enough to get him distracted from Guinevere.

Serin glared at the bearded one, and advanced.

He did not seem to care about her though, as he turned over a body, and retrieved a bow from it.

Serin then realized what the man was doing, and yelled to Lancelot, who jumped out of the way, and the arrow went sailing past him, striking another Saxon in the heart.

Another attacker came upon Lancelot and drove him away from the bearded Saxon.

The bearded soldier cursed, and Serin glared at him again, this time, they locked eyes, and met in battle.

As Galahad fought across the field, he noticed a flash of red hair. _No,_ he thought, _she shouldn't have come!_ He killed the man he had been fighting with, and watched her more closely, she was good with her sword, he could see that, but the man she fought was bigger and from the look of it, better.

She slashed at the man, and caught him in the side, he barely staggered, and retaliated fiercely, "You know not who you are dealing with Woad brat," he snarled, swinging at her neck.

She ducked, and decided not to answer, _I'll save my breath for fighting,_ she thought, as she stabbed at him for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I am Cynric, son of Cerdic, leader of the Saxons."

"That's nice," Serin growled as he tried once again to behead her.

"Is that any way to treat a lady?" said Galahad as he stopped the Saxon's blade at about an inch from Serin's throat.

Serin grinned at him, and swung her sword, cleaving off Cynric's sword arm and bringing him to his knees. She held her sword level with his throat as she had before, and looked into his eyes; she saw no fear, no remorse, no pleading. She raised her sword, and swung with all her might, severing his head.

She stared at his head where it had fallen, and felt sick and dizzy. Looking around, she saw that no Saxons were left alive on the field, only blood, and death.

"Galahad," she whispered, as he wrapped his arms around her.

The battle was won, the Saxon leader, dead by Arthur's hand, and Britain, free.

Serin looked up at Galahad's face.

"I was wrong," he told her. "You can fight."

"Yes," she replied. "But I still needed you to rescue me in the end," she murmured, and then everything went black as she fainted from exhaustion.


	6. All Things Settled

All Things Settled

Eva smiled as her sister began to wake. It had been hours since the battle, and Serin had been so exhausted that she had passed out and not woken.

Galahad stood in the doorway of her chamber and crossed to the bed when he saw her begin to stir.

She sighed and opened her eyes, "How long-?" she began to ask, but Galahad kissed her to quiet her.

"You ask too many questions, my dear," he told her, grinning.

Lancelot appeared in the doorway, and too came to see how she was, "Finally awake?" he asked, smiling.

She looked at him, if not for her, he might be dead now. She shuddered and banished the thought from her mind.

Seeing her shiver Galahad frowned, "Are you cold?"

Serin shook her head, "No, only remembering terrible things that make my blood run cold."

"War will do that to you the first time," said Tristan, entering the room, "after a while you'll get used to it." he glanced cautiously at Eva, who caught his gaze and held it for a moment.

They both looked away, not knowing how to feel.

Serin noticed this connection, but did not say anything of it.

Tristan cleared his throat awkwardly, and strode out of the room.

"You'll have to work on him," Lancelot told Eva jokingly, "he doesn't respond well when a woman saves his life."

"Has that happened before?" Eva asked him, giggling softly.

Lancelot arched a brow, "No, now that I think of it."

Serin sat up and stretched, "I think I'll have something to eat,"

"I'll get you something," Eva volunteered quickly, and practically sprinted out of the room.

"Three guesses where she's off to," Lancelot grinned and went to make sure Eva actually completed the errand she was running.

Serin laughed, and leaned on Galahad's shoulder.

He ruffled her hair, and kissed the top of her head, "My brave Briton warrior," he said, putting his arm around her.

She snuggled up to him and rested some more.

"Serin," he said softly after a while.

"Hm?" she said, woken from her light sleep.

"Will you be my wife?"

"Yes," she yawned, sat up straight, and kissed him gently. "I would like nothing more."

"Nor would I."

"Now that that's settled, where's Eva with my food?" She laughed, "I hope Lancelot is making sure that Eva behaves herself."

"I'm sure he is," Galahad told her, "the problem is, will he behave himself?" He stood and looked out of the door, "I think we'd better go get your food ourselves."

"Good idea," she replied, and they made their way toward the kitchen.

---

As Serin stood looking over the ocean, Eva came and stood next to her. "It was a beautiful wedding," she said quietly, "that song you sang was so sweet."

Serin smiled, she had sang the first thing that came to her mind, and it had turned out well.

Bors had been the one who had convinced her to sing, pushing her forward saying, "Sing for us, sing a song about Arthur."

"No," she had stammered, "I couldn't,"

But Arthur and Guinevere had smiled and also asked her to sing.

"Alright," she consented, and began her song,

_Artorious, Artorious,_

_Made for higher things then this,_

_The people now depend on you,_

_Your heart will tell you what is true._

She had paused, and Arthur nodded for her to continue. She took a breath and began again, all eyes upon her.

_The battle rages ever on,_

_But soon a vic'try shall be won,_

_Kingship will belong to thee,_

_All of Britain shall be free._

She ended the song and raising the sword she now carried, shouted, "Hail Arthur, king of Britain!"

"When I get married, I want a dress just the one Guinevere wore today." Eva said, bringing Serin's thoughts back to the present.

She smiled, "_When_ you get married?"

Eva grinned, "If," she corrected herself.

Serin laughed, "Well, _when_ I get married, I'll wear whatever I please."

"I was wondering if he'd asked you," she grinned, "Am I invited?"

"There you are," Galahad said to Serin, as he walked up behind them, "I've been looking all over for you."

She kissed his cheek and he laughed.

"Come on, I think it's time to announce our engagement to everyone."

"Am I invited to the wedding?" Eva repeated.

Galahad pretended to ponder, "I don't know..."

"Well _I_ do." Eva told him, "And I say that I'm invited."

He laughed again, "I guess that settles it."

"That's right," she replied, "it does, everything is settled."

**The End**

**Thanks for all the reviews you've given, guys!**

_**The sequel is now posted! is happy it is simply called Eva, because i coudn't think of a better name (i'm open to suggestions!!) Now go read it!**_

**Kait**


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